Non-Linear Mean Field Dynamics in the Nuclear Spinodal Zone

Abstract

We demonstrate, by numerical simulations, that the dynamics of nuclear matter mean field inside the spinodal region is chaotic. Spontaneous symmetry-breaking - no explicit fluctuating term is considered - occurs leading to wild unpredictable density fluctuations. A proper recipe to calculate an average Lyapunov exponent in this multidimensional phase space is introduced. The latter is calculated for different values of the density in order to characterize in a quantitative way the chaotic and regular regions. It is argued that the mean field chaoticity can be the main mechanism of the nuclear multifragmentation occurring in the intermediate energy reactions.